Athletic Training Program Retention Standards
Academic and Clinical Progress
Once admitted to the program, the student must demonstrate and maintain satisfactory academic and clinical progress as defined below:
Overall GPA
- Athletic Training students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75
- Students falling below a 2.75 GPA will be placed on probation for one semester. If, after one-semester probation, the GPA remains below a 2.75, or falls below a 2.75 in any subsequent semester, the student will be dismissed from the program.
GPA in Major
- Students must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in all designated courses (right side of DCP) to graduate and maintain in the ATP.
- A student that earns a “D” or “F” in an ATTR course can repeat the course the next time it is offered.
- However, the student will not be allowed to take any other ATTR courses until he/she has earned a passing grade in the course the student failed to achieve the minimum grade of “C”.
- Students will be suspended from the ATP if they fail to earn a grade of “C” or better in any other ATTR course.
Students must complete BIOL 213/214 and 215/216 with a minimum grade of “C” in each section before the spring semester of their junior year. Students who don’t receive a grade of “C” or better will be suspended from the ATP for a minimum of one academic year or until they have earned a “C” or better.
Liberty University’s ATP understands sometimes extenuating circumstances occur in life that may affect a student’s academic performance. Thus if an extenuating circumstance (i.e. illness, family situation) occurs in a student’s life while he/she is enrolled in the ATP that affects the student’s education/GPA, the student can petition to the Program Director for approval to continue in the ATP. The program director will meet with the admissions committee to discuss the petition prior to giving the student a decision. Students will be placed on probation if the admissions committee approves of the petition. Issues will be considered on an individual basis and must constitute mitigating circumstances beyond the control of the student or program.
Course Sequencing
Students must complete each clinical and academic course in the order prescribed.
Codes of Conduct
Satisfactory citizenship and behavior must be demonstrated, per the university’s and the program’s codes of conduct as outlined in the Liberty Way and in the Athletic Training Education Program Handbook.
- Students suspended from the university will be subject to athletic training faculty review as to continuation in the program.
- The Athletic Training faculty reserves the right to dismiss from the major, students who exhibit unprofessional or unethical behavior as outlined in the Program Handbook.
Guidelines for Appeal
To appeal decisions concerning their status in the Athletic Training Program, students must submit a written appeal to the Program Director within one week of the notification in question. The documentation must include a detailed justification for the appeal.
- Upon receipt of the appeal, the athletic training faculty will meet to review the matter.
- The student will be advised in writing as to the outcome of that discussion within two weeks.